


Sanctuary

by misa_pb



Category: Prison Break
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misa_pb/pseuds/misa_pb
Summary: Post season 5 fluff. OSMichael and Sara bring their second child, Faith Scofield home, and navigate through their first days of renewed parenthood.AU from What Hardships Bring.
Relationships: Michael Scofield & Michael Scofield Jr., Michael Scofield Jr. & Sara Tancredi, Michael Scofield/Sara Tancredi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is a very long one, but I couldn't see how to break it in chapters.
> 
> AU from WHB in the sense that Faith is here, born absolutely healthy.
> 
> I'll maybe write the WHB canon one day, dealing with more angst as Michael and Sara cope with a premature baby. 
> 
> This one is pure fluff, enjoy :)

"Gosh, it's so cold." Sara shivered as the automatic doors of the Hospital opened, sending a cold wave of wind in their way. 

Michael walked right beside her, in slow steps, keeping with her rythm. 

Sara had gone through a C-section, two days ago. Her BP had plumetted, and she had remained drugged and alseep, under observation, the following 24 hours. 

Keeping Michael on edge, all that time, he had gone back home to Mike, but barely slept, worry clouding his mind.

Yesterday thought, it had stabilised, and Sara was out of danger. A lot of rest was prescribed to her ofcourse, and she insisted, with a little hesitance from Michael, to be discharged the 3rd day, like regular cesarians procedures. 

Her doctor had agreed, only if she rested dutifully, checked her constants, and took absolutely no worry or tension at all. 

In his right hand, Michael held a baby carrier, where their precious little bundle of flesh was nestled in, under numerous layers of clothes and blankets. 

Faith Anne Scofield, born september 17th 2019 at 9.30 am sharp, was in perfect health. She was a little small, in weight more than lenght, but her 2,1 kgs were enough to not lead her to intensive baby care or what her parents had feared, an incubator. 

Faith could breath on her own, eat on her own, she was actually quite enthousiastic on the feeders her father gave her, sucking vigourously and always finishing her bottles. Her pediatre had been very happy with her progress and all her tests results were positive, Faith would be playing in the range of full term babies in a a couple of weeks, if not sooner, her doctor assured. 

Michael stopped at they stepped out, putting the seat on a bench to adjust Faith's beanie and scarf, it was indeed cold and the last thing their newborn needed was to catch a cold. 

Michael was absolutely in love with the tiny creature they had created. He adored her, his heart warming up with a new and strange sense of protection for such a small baby. 

While he rearanged her blanket too, folding it on itself and tucking it around her so no cold airway could pass, the baby bag he carried on his left arm, slid to his elbow. 

"I can carry this." Sara proposed, reaching out for the bag. 

Michael smiled a little, in knowledge of her nature. 

"No, you can't." He scolded lightly, he batted her hand away, carrying the baby seat again.

Sara rolled her eyes. "I saw that." He quipped and Sara smiled.

They walked, slowly till the nearby train station. 

Sara had originally told him that he didn't need to come and pick her up, that he could stay with Mike and that she'd came with Faith and her stuff by train. 

Michael had looked at her in an incredulous way, as if she had said the most absurd thing in the universe. 

When he made it clear that he was coming and that it wasn't up for discussion, she told him to still come by train. It would be more confortable and smoother than a car, where, in plus of the bumps and hitches of the roads that she'd felt throughouly, she would have to tend to their newborn too because Michael drove. 

Michael understood and agreed, a particularely strong wave of chilly autumn wind whipped against them, Sara shutting her eyes and mentally thanking Michael for tying her hair in a low ponytail before they left. 

Faith let out a tiny wail, scrunching her eyes shut too and as she curled her hands in fists inside her mittens.

"Aw, the train's coming baby." Sara cooed looking at the digital arrival board : 1 min. 

Michael hushed the fussing infant, rocking her carrier gently. This icy autumn weather must be a far cry from her mother's warm womb.

The train came and Michael clasped Sara's hand, helping her stepping inside. 

Once they settled and sat, and that small Faith realised that it was no longer cold in the heated train, she stopped fussing, easily distracted by all the lights and bright colors of train's roof.

"You feeling okay ?" Michael addressed Sara, with concern. 

Sara smiled at him. "Yeah, I guess, it's when the painmeds are going to wear off that the worst will kick in." Sara said with a grimace. 

Michael smiled. "At least you'll be home and confortable, just like you wanted." 

"You bet I will, I hate hospital beds." Sara complained and he laughed a little.

"Is it your first ?" A middle aged black lady, sitting in the 4th seat of their square interrupted them. 

"Second." Sara said with a sense of pride and fondness. 

The lady smiled warmly. "Congratulations, is it a he or a she ?" she peered over the babe in the seat opposite hers, she was unable to guess due to the neutral white and beige tones of the blankets and clothes. 

"It's a little girl." Michael said with a smile, the same fondness shining on his face. 

"What's her name ?" the lady asked gently.

"Faith." Sara said with love, as Michael's hand stroked Faith's beanie covered little forehead.

"Oh that's such a pretty name!" she exclaimed. "Hi Faith, you're an adorable little girl." Sara smiled, observing her newborn who's attention was on the new person who spoke to her, her eyebrows creasing a little in concentration. "Thank you." Sara said on her daughter's behalf. 

Michael and Sara's eyes locked and they shared a small smile of pride, their daughter was their absolute treasure. 

........

When they got home, Mike instantly hovered around them, the first thing he did, was hug Sara.

"Careful!" Michael almost gasped in concern at the sudden embrace Mike gave his mother. 

Sara breathed in for a second, she then laced her arms around Mike. "Let him Michael, better now than later." She assured. 

"I missed you so much mom." Mike whispered against her chest, almost as a complain.

"I missed you too Mike." She breathed him in, stroking his hair. 

He then backed. "Is it true that you had an operation, like where they cut you open ?" Mike asked in curious disbelief. 

Sara chuckled. "I did, it's not as terrible as it sounds." she reassured. 

"What flavor was your mask ? which size was the scalpel they used ?" Mike asked curiosly. 

"What ?" Sara asked in confusion, had he researched the whole procedure ? god, that kid.

"Mike, don't overwhelm mom, you can talk to her later, she needs rest, okay ?" Michael intructed firmly. 

Mike nodded, his attention going to his dad for the first time and then down to his hand that held the baby car seat, where lay his baby sister. 

"Wow ! She is so small." Mike said in awe, bending over little Faith. 

Michael laughed and Sara smiled, Mike had only seen her in pictures before. 

"Can I hold her dad ?" He asked excitedly. Michael smiled.

"Sure, but you know what, always wash your hands before touching her, go wash up, and I'll settle your mother, and then I promise you can meet her, I'll show you how to hold her head." Michael said gently and Mike raced to wash his hands in eagerness. 

Michael let the seat on their sofa, letting Faith in blankets and winter coat, the warmer the better. 

He helped Sara remove hers, helping her sit next to the seat and bending himself to remove her shoes. 

"Where do you want to lay down sweetheart ?" He asked with affection. 

"I could here ?" Sara suggested. 

Michael raised an eyebrow. 

"The doctor said bedrest." He pointed firmly. 

Sara sighed. "Why did you even ask then ?" She huffed. 

Michael held her by the waist and directed her to the stairs. 

"Done, dad!" Mike came back from the downstairs bathroom, eager to carry his baby sister.

"Okay, you can talk to her, but don't unlock her belt, I'll be here in five." Michael said and Mike nodded. 

"I'll be missing out on all the fun." Sara protested a last time, wanting to see Mike holding his little sister for the first time, she felt fine, she could even sit and watch them. 

"Yeah, it's not like we're planning to have a party." Michael denied her request, the doctor had said strict rest. He wasn't playing any risk with Sara's life, he was clear on that. 

"Come on." He helped her up the stairs.

He changed her bandages, her incision still raw and bleeding regularely. Settling her in bed and making sure she was confortable.

"This is not fair." She complained again. 

Michael gave her a serious look. "Sara. Stop being a baby. You're not moving, don't you even get up, and if you need anything, like anything, even scratch somewhere you can't reach, you call me, okay ?" 

Sara rolled her eyes again. 

"Okay." she anwsered annoyed. 

That behaviour lasted only a couple of hours. 

For, once he had showed Mike how to hold Faith and let him enjoy her for a while, he fed her and made her sleep.

Mike finished homework while he cooked and he had just served him dinner, a bowl of bland butter pasta, he didn't have courage for more. 

And he went to check on her before eating anything himself, knocked softly, thinking she was most probably asleep. 

He was surprised to see her eyes unaturally shut tight, and face slightly crisped. 

"Sara ?" He asked softly. 

She opened her eyes, pain evident in them. oh. 

They had kept her on fentanyl during the two first days, and now that it was wearing off, Sara felt the pain of the incision for the first time. 

It stung. Spasming with pain and paralysing her. 

"Oh sweetheart, painmeds wearing off ?" He asked softly, kneeling at her bedside. 

Sara breathed slowly and nodded, even talking hurt. 

"Are you hungry, I'll bring you dinner in bed ?" Michael offered. 

Sara shook her head, the idea of even sitting for a minute was unimaginable, she could skip dinner. 

"But you need to eat something before taking those antibiotics and penicilline." Michael worried, stroking her forehead gently. 

"I'll make you something you can have easily." He promised. 

Sara hissed through a new wave of pain and looked at him. She felt so bad for asking anything of him, he  
already was taking care of a newborn, Mike, and the whole house on his own. 

"Soup ?" She asked guiltily in a crisped voice. 

Michael kissed her, pecking her lips with all his love and squeezed her hand. 

"Sure," he smiled.

He could gladly make the effort of mixing a few vegetables in a blender and seasoning them in a pot if it could spare Sara, even half of the pain.

He made her eat, making sure she stayed laying down, feeding her himself and wiping her mouth if any drop slipped on her chin. 

Sara would have rewarded him for his gentleness and care, but even rising to kiss him felt like a terrible idea.

He then helped her shower, for the first time after she gave birth. 

And Sara wept under the water. It hurted so much. Burned. And she could only thank Michael for the gentleness he used to slowly scrub her skin, ever so carefully, he was pampering her, it felt, and she wanted to stop him, tell him she was fine on her own but then she thought of bending to scrub her legs and that sounded like agony so she let him. 

Michael left, promising her that he'd be back to her side soon. He first tucked Mike in bed, wishing him good night. Then took care of Faith, awake since a while and claiming his attention,fed her again, changed her, and put her back to sleep, with a lot of difficulty. 

It was past ten when he came back to Sara. And she felt even worse than before. 

She couldn't even move an inch and even breathing hurt. 

"I'll have to change your bandages." Sara looked at him with dread, and Michael himself felt remorse. 

The process was much harder than the two previous times, once, when he was guided by a nurse back in the hospital and then right when she was still under painmeds. 

Now, her whole stomach hurt, not only the incision line. It burned now. Like scorching fire and she flinched as he touched the area to disinfect it. Bit a cry and covered her face, hidding it in her elbow to hid the pain. 

She whimpered through the whole thing, and Michael's heart bled in his chest, his throat dry from seeing her like this. 

And when he finally said he was done, and lowered her shirt back over the layers of gauze, she uncovered her face. Oh. The area around her eyes was wet, she was crying from pain. Michael's heart broke. 

"You okay sweetheart." He saw her nod again, gulping and wincing again. 

He sighed, sitting beside her, on his side of the bed, helpless.

"Tell me what I can do ?" He implored her, wanting to save her from the agony she was in. 

Sara hadn't been in labor, the cesarian was planned and smooth. And honestly, Michael had never ever seen her in this much physical pain. The scars of her whipping were healed way before he could find her and take care of her. 

It attacked him to the gut, sending him visions of tortures and horros he wanted to forget. He swallowed, hearing her whimper anew and tried to be lucid, the last think she needed was him losing it now. Having a panick attack..he could feel himself slip away.

The raw pain in her eyes, it killed him, stroke him with a force he hadn't expected.

"You're already doing a lot, thank you." She managed to say, replying to his previous question through pressed lips, her voice grounded him to reality.

She even smiled to him but against her will, it transformed in a new grimace of pain. 

"I can call your doctor, we could still get you something prescribed,   
maybe morphine alternatives ? or at least, codeine or some other anti-inflammatory.." Michael offered, he would go and get her the prescriptions and meds right now, if only she willed.

He couldn't see her like that. If paracetamol wasn't effective, she had to take any pain relief.

"I don't want any of those Michael." She said firmly between greeted teeth.

Michael sighed. "Please, I know that you're strong, you can do this, it's not as if you don't need them." He tried to convince her, one more time. 

Sara shook her head. "We had said not any more time than extreme necessary." She stopped, regaining her breath, for the pain made her breathless. "It's already a big concession that I made." She almost snapped. 

Michael breathed in, and stroke her bare forearm, she was wearing a silk, thighs lenght sleeveless nightie for maximum confort. 

"I know, I know love. But please, please, for me ?" He made it hard for it to say no, specially when the option was so appealing and could spare her this torture. But she wouldn't make the same mistakes as in her past, wouldn't risk her sobriety. 

"No. This will be better in a few days. I'll have to live with that. And I need you, to support my decision, Michael, please." He sighed, wishing this could be different. 

"Of course, I am here, and I support you, always, anything you need." Michael compromised, he could torture his heart for a few days more if it made her peace of mind. 

"Could, you..um..I need to pee." Sara whispered almost shyly. 

And Michael smiled, at her side in an instant. 

It was slow, first helping her sit, she winced and held onto his forearms strongly, trying to breath and not cry or weep out of pain again, because it burned terribly, she ever so slowly tried to pass her legs over the bed but Michael's patience however wore off quicker than hers, he slid his arms under her knees, and carrier her up, so she had the less movements to make. 

Sara gasped out of suprise but did not protest, walking the few steps till their bathroom felt like passing through miles of a lake of fire. 

He gently sat her directly on the toilet lid, helping her slid up her gown and remove her panties, she batted his hands away, first, but he had had enough, if she wasn't taking pain meds, then he was doing anything, even so little, to help her. 

"thank you." she murmured gratefully and Michael just kissed the top of her head. 

"I am changing, just call me when you're done, okay ?" He smiled tenderly, granting her some privacy. 

She did not call him, but he heard the toilet flushing and immediately was in the bathroom, she had her panties back up and was standing, taking small steps and breathing steadily. 

"What are you doing ?" He stopped her, immediately carrying her up. 

"You should have called me, I'd even clean you up." She smiled at this, and he was relieved to see another expression than pain on her face. 

Sara would have even laughed, if that didn't mean jostling her belly torturously. Only, when she realised he was serious, she winced and closed her eyes, taking stock and awaiting the pain as he laid her on the bed. 

She whimpered and breathed. "Ew, you're not touching my piss Michael." She said once she recovered from the pain.

Michael was already in the covers and by his side. 

"Well, I do clean up Faith, I have a skilled hand now." he quipped on a light tone now and she looked at him and breathed her laugh.

Her amusement was soon gone a jolts of pain envelopped her again and she winced.

"You refused narcotics at Mike's time too ?" Michael asked, his head suddenly filling with heartbreaking thoughts. 

"Yeah, I'm done with those things ." Sara replied, looking at the roof and breathing in and out steadily. 

She wouldn't say so, but she'd just like to not talk, god, talking hurt so much. 

"Linc was there, right ?" Michael asked, too lost in her haze of pain, she didn't register the alarming tone of Michael's worried voice. 

"Yes, he lived right beside, he would come in the morning and stay all day to help me." Sara whispered, trying to give him as much information while limiting her talking. 

Michael didn't say anything after that, and she thought he had fallen asleep. 

She closed her eyes too, but could only wince and hiss periodically, wondering if she would even find sleep in this agony.

Michael however, wasn't sleeping. His heart broke with horror. Lincoln wasn't there at night, and he surely hadn't done things like helping her shower or use the toilet.

If, even with his help, bending her body, to even sit up made her weep, how had she done back then ? His heart broke in his chest. 

Sara opened her eyes, not that she was finding any slumber in this state, but it was the sound of a sob that made her turn her head and...god. Michael was crying. 

"Oh Michael.." She groaned and whimpered but forced her body to turn to his side, her skin protested, sending stabs of fire through her but the need to tend to her broken husband was stronger. 

"Michael.." She touched his hands, taking them off his face and to her lips, kissing them each by one. "you crazy man, I am fine. I am absolutely alright. It's just post-op pain, it'll pass." But he sobbed, too pained to listen to her. 

She sighed, moaning as her body protested the twisted position of her abdomen. 

"Go sleep in the guest room if you really can't see me like this, I'll be okay." she offered gently. 

He squeezed her hands back.

"I should have been there at Mike's time. I left you alone. All alone. How did you get up to tend to Mike at night ? How did you shower on your own, how did you - " he choked on a sob. "I should have been there. I'm so sorry." he wept miserably and Sara was sure her heart broke and sank to her burning stomach. 

And tears welled up in her eyes too. She had cried a lot in Mike's first days, more out of heartbreak than physical pain. At each little step, a nagging voice told her if Michael was alive, he'd do this, and he'd do that, and he'd never let you get up like this, and it made her miss him even more because god, she physically needed him.

But now he was alive, and was right at her arms reach, and was doing everything she had imagined, and even much more. So why was he sorry ? 

"Michael...don't do this to me...don't cry, or I'll cry too, and it hurts." She said trying to keep her own tears in.

It's only after she said that, that he seemed to snap out of his misery, he realised how she held him and looked at the position she was in and pushed her shoulders with his palm as laid her on her back again. 

"I'm sorry, I am sorry.." he said time and time again, wiping his wet cheeks. 

"Are you okay, are you confortable?" He asked and his care killed her. 

"You're an ass." she said wiping her own tears. 

"I didn't meant to make you cry, or remember all that, sorry Sara." She swore if he said sorry again she'd wail like a newborn herself, even if it tore at her stitches.

"Stop saying that. You're everything to me and I am so glad you're back, it would ease half the pain off my heart if you stopped always feeling guilty about evrything." She winced because her incision did hurt pretty bad now. burning continously. 

"Okay, I am sorry." Sara scoffed and he shook his head. "I am not. I mean, I'll stop okay. I promise. I shouldn't put my wrecked broken brain on you while all you need is rest, and no worry or tension..." he quoted the doctor, feeling extremely bad for his break down. 

"I love you. And now, we're both tired, and we're gonna sleep, you specially, because you have a baby that's gonna wake in not even a couple of hours, so you need your sleep, okay ?" Sara asked, cursing herself, all that not to talk. 

Michael listened to her, but sleep didn't came, not as long as he heard her hiss and wince in pain. He squeezed her hand, promising he was there and stroking her palm. 

Time passed and he had to tend to Faith, feeding her and putting her to sleep almost took an hour.

When he came back, Sara still suffered in silence, he sighed and laid beside her, kissing her forearm out of affection. 

Something felt wrong thought. She was burning. shit. 

"Sara ?" he called but she seemed too far away, in her own buble of agony. "Sara, sweetheart..you're having fever." He said. 

This could be a sign of infection. Through her weak protests, he had checked her incision again, changing the bandages and it was clean. No sign of infection.

The fever was due to pain then, and his heart broke once again. 

He gave her some more penicilline, and prayed this could be over soon.

....

For the next two days, Sara stayed in her cloud of pain, barely able to get up herself and certainly not able to carry Faith or take care of her at all. 

Most she'd be close to her was when Michael laid her next to her, upon her request. And it felt as if even Mike was being more of a mom than hers, to her newborn. 

Those thoughts would quickly vanish whenever she felt a stab of pain, even putting the weight of a paper plate on her abdomen felt like agony, in no way would she be able to carry a baby. 

And she was so tired, almost always sleeping, to Michael's relief with his mantra of rest rest rest. 

For the moments she was awake and could manage the pain, she worried about his lack of rest. 

The first day, in the morning rush, he gave Mike breakfast, got ready himself, changed her bandages and made sure she had her medicines, fed Faith and made her ready, dressed and buckled, ready to go. Checked on Mike again and just when they were about to leave, right on time, Faith needed to be changed. 

Sara insisted for him to let her stay home, that she would change and take care of her. 

But Michael refused, Sara could hardly sit up. She watched miserably as the poor man hurried to undo all the layers of winter clothes on baby Faith, changed her nappy and redressed her again, onesie, bodie, sweat, double socks, winter coat, her mittens, beanie, scarf and finally buckled her back and covered her with her baby blanket. 

"Dad we are late!" Mike pressed and Michael fumbled with car keys. 

"I know, I know, let's go." They hurried dowstairs and Sara felt helpless.

He was late. Michael had informed her when he came back with a fussing Faith.

"Then ?" Michael sighed, removing his own coat before bending to unbuckle the wailing newborn.

"We went by the backdoor, he had to go through the late chart process." Sara frowned, damn, must have been so embarassing for her boy.

"Mike didn't mind, he was so excited to tell all his friends about his new baby sister." Michael recalled fondly rocking tiny Faith. 

Sara sighed relieved. "What's wrong with her ?" She asked, wincing as she tried to rise slowly, wanting to tend to the babe. 

"Hey, you stay down. It's nothing, I think miss Faith hates the cold, and she hates the car even more huh, right baby girl ?" He cooed while he removed all her outdoor layers. 

Sara smiled. "You should invest in putting colored LEDs to your roof then, like in the train, seemed to work for her." She suggested playfully, between two hiss of pain.

"Right. I am not morphing my car into a Christmas tree." Michael replied, unzipping Faith's winter coat. 

Sara breathed steadily, trying to still battle the pain, "Really Scofield ? What happened to I could do anything for her ?" Sara quipped, quoting his statement at the hospital, whispered in awe of his newborn. 

Michael looked at at her and threw Faith's outdoor beanie at her. 

She caught it smiling and closing her eyes. Sara mostly slept though.  
Pain still very intense to mild. She felt exhausted too. Absolutely powerless.

She almost slept the whole day, and Michael knew it was normal, the doctor had told him she's be tired for some days.

She only woke a little after Mike was back from school.

Sara's eyes opened to small hands holding hers. Mike. 

She smiled. "Hey, you...how was your day?" Sara asked with love. 

"It was fine mom, but is it true that you are in a lot of pain ? Dad told me you can't get up and that I couldn't hug you." Mike frowned and Sara tried to supress her pain. 

"I am alright sweet boy, you know your dad, he is a little overprotective of me, he's worrying you uselessly." She anwsered with a smile but Mike saw through by the tightly closed jaw that she spoke through, that his mother was indeed in pain.

"My wife will never have a baby, we will adopt." he decided innocently and Sara chuckled, would have laughed if she could. 

"Right, we'll see about that." She said amused. 

"Can I get you anything ? I don't have homework and dad is busy making dinner and taking care of Faith. He told me to watch you and stay with you." Mike said sweetly and Sara drew him to her, hugging him to her chest. 

"I don't need anything, but I could enjoy your company, that is if you're willing to stay with your old boring mom?" Mike laughed as he raised back up.

"You're not boring. You're so cool with your tatoo and now you have a new scar, that's so cool." Mike said and Sara shook her head, scars werent at all 'cool' in her eyes but whatever the boy felt.

"So what did you study in school huh ?" Sara asked ssueezing his hand. 

"Maths, and english vocabulary, and then in the afternoon we had a spanish lesson with another teacher." Mike explained. 

"You swap with Mrs.Collins each thursday right ?" Sara asked and Mike confirmed. 

"And I told all my friend about my new baby sister, they want to meet her." Mike said and Sara's heart melted at the twinkle he had in his eyes whenever he mentionned Faith. 

"Maybe later. So, you like her ?" She asked earnestly. Mike was 9, not really the age of jealousy or insecurity but he was still hesitant when they announced Sara's pregnancy, he was eager, but had his doubts too, maybe nerves, Sara knew that. 

"I love her mom, thank you." He said and Sara was reminded of Michael saying that to her in the same tone as soon as she woke after her C-section and that he presented their baby to her. 

"You're welcome..so what's it like?" 

"Well, first, I didn't knew she would be so small, like her toes, have your seen her toes mom ? they're so small!" he said in awe and Sara smiled, she was in love with baby toes too.

"You had the same when you were born, you know ?" She said rubbing his hand fondly, her firstborn had grown so fast..

"Nooo." Mike denied shaking his head. 

"And her skin is so soft..but mom, I think she has a problem, dad says it's normal but her skin is peeling ?" Mike said with a frown. 

"Dad is right. You know when she was inside me, she was in water and there was a layer of vernix to protect her skin, because it's so soft and fragile right ? So now it's coming off, but it'll be gone in a few weeks don't worry, and she doesn't feel a thing." Mike tried to register all that information and nodded. 

"Good then. And you know that she looks at me, do you think she knows who I am ?" Mike asked in wonder. 

Sara nodded. "Yep, I told you she could hear you while she was inside, so she remembers your voice and know you're her brother." Sara awnsered with a smile.

"That is so cool!" he said happily. 

"Dad said he'd let me give her a feeder tonight." Sara pouted a little, wincing. 

"I wish I could give her one too." She complained and Mike laughed.   
"patience leads to greater results mom, if you do it know, you won't be able to enjoy it and cause yourself pain, if you wait a little, you could take all your time and enjoy feeding her fully." Mike explained and Sara chuckled at how smart her son was. 

"Alright Einstein, I will wait." She promised. 

"And dad said when you are a little better, he wants us to make a family photo, with Faith, and hand it in the centre space of the sofa wall in the living room." Mike said excitedly. 

"Sure, we'll do that. Your dad love pictures." Sara rolled her eyes at Michael's new habit. 

When he had unfortunetely left her, smartphones weren't a thing, and since he was back, Micjael was addicted to that thing, and she swore it was only due to the quality of the pictures, he snapped some of her all the time, be it with or without her conscent and she could even caught him stare at her own picture at times. She found it adorable, inside. 

Sara closed her eyes. 

"You're tired ?" Mike asked sweetly.

"I feel like a truck ran over me, yeah." Mike laughed at her anwser and saw her wince, Sara closed her eyes. 

"do you want water ?" Mike suggested.

"Actually, yeah, I'd like that." she anwsered.

Mike ran to get her a glass of water, Sara smiled, she wondered who was the best care taker, Mike or his father, because both seemed like in a tight competition since she was back. 

........

It's only after three more days that Sara felt a little better. The overwhelming fatigue lessened in intensity and the paracetamol was actually working a little, her wound was closing up with the antibiotics and was less raw.

Plus, she'd actually managed to have a whole night of sleep, no fever or post-birth contractions troubling her sleep. Even the overwhelming urge to pee, that had her insides contract and ache felt better. She ticked all those boxes in her head as her eye opened around 6 am, a saturday night. Michael was asleep on his side, the poor man was absolutely worn out with all his responsabilities, and he had, unlike her, probabily gotten up numerous times through the night to tend to their newborn. 

As if that was a cue, not even five minutes had gone by that Faith's cries reasoned in their room.

Somewhere between the second and third day, Michael had given up and shifted her crib to their room, at his arm's reach, he knew that would disturb Sara's rest, but she did not mind and her sleep was already disturbed by her own pains. It made it much easier to take care of her and seemed like a good arrangement at least for the first few weeks, not that they'll be having any bedroom activity until Sara's incision healed completely. 

Sara observed as he opened his eyes with difficulty, yawned and rose from the bed, gently carried Faith against his chest and rocked her. 

She felt awful for him. And was actually feeling brave enough to try and hold Faith. 

"Michael ? let me get this one." She suggested softly. 

Michael's head whipped to her, he didn't knew she was awake. He shook his head. 

"No no no, I've got it, don't you worry for me. Rest." He reitered his usual mantra. 

Sara shook her head. no. granted she was upset about him tiring himself but she also, wanted to hold her child. She hadn't even been able to carry her bar the time she was half conscious and on fentanyl back in the hospital. Her maternal side ached to hold her now.

"I want to have her.." she insisted with longing. "I feel better, it's okay." she assured.

Michael rose his eyebrows. Without waiting for his approval, Sara tried to rise herself and Michael went to her, assisting her and adjusting her pillow as she sat up, still whimpering of pain through the process but not to the point of unbearable. 

"Okay, here, careful....just hold her like this while I'll get her feeder, and then I'll help you." Michael placed the newborn on her chest, against her shoulder, Faith was so little, her tiny feet, curled up and hardly reached Sara's belly button, a safe 5 cm higher than her incision.

Sara obeyed, gently rubbing the fussing infant's back while Faith's tiny fist curled against her neck and grabbed at her hair. God, could she cry. So unlike Mike, Sara recalled, newborn Mike never even cried for food, Sara would have to time his feeding sessions, and she'd felt so guilty whenever she forgot or overslept, why didn't that baby cry and wake her the hell up ? maybe baby Mike sensed his mother's helplessness, bless his heart, he was the most patient baby. 

"Shh..Shh." Sara soothed Faith.

Michael was back very quickly and shook her bottle, and tested the temperature on his palm before putting it on their bedside table. 

Sara felt proud of him, he was a pro, and so natural. 

"Here, let me.." Michael held Faith horizontally against her abdomen, and handled her the bottle.

Sara eased it between the babe's lips and Faith quieted, sucking noisily on her nipple feeder. 

Michael's hands still supported Faith's weight from under, holding her up for Sara. 

"It's okay." She assured and he hesitantly removed them. "Is this alright ?" he asked scanning her face for any trace of pain. 

Sara nodded, it did hurt, but it was managable and she'd gladly go through ten minutes of a little more pain if she could hold her baby. 

Michael circled the bed and was back on his side, sitting up right beside her. 

Sara exhaled and smiled, Faith's eyes now locking with hers and the babe studied her in concentration while she ate, obviously registering the new face, a small frown appeared on her forehead in concentration, that wasn't the person who made her eat usually. And Sara swore her eyes darted to the side where Michael sat. 

"Dad's still here." She said amused and Faith's eyes were back on her, focussing on her voice now. 

Sara hoped she knew and recognised her voice, at least. Missing out on her babe's first few days wasn't always fun, on mother's hearts, but it was usually the case with C-sections births. And specially considering Sara refused narcotics. 

"She only loves me for food, don't worry." Michael quipped and Sara shook her head with a small smile. 

They sat in silence, Michael enjoying Sara, as she enjoyed her first feeding with awe. 

A frown broke her own smile. "I wish I could feed you myself." Sara said dejectedly to the baby. 

"Oh Sara...sweetheart it's not your fault." Michael soothed, rubbing her back in support. 

He knew she had wished to breastfeed. Unfortunetely this time arround Sara didn't have much milk. She tried, even through the pain of the few last days to pump some, relaxed and tried desperately, but she only had a few drops and would never be able to sustain Faith's feeding rythm, at this rate she would only fill a whole bottle in three to four days.

"I don't know what I did wrong..I had so much milk back at Mike's time, could fill up spare bottles for days." She recalled with a deep sense of frustration. 

"You did nothing wrong. The doctor told you, and you're a doctor yourself, you know that there's always less milk the second time around." Michael soothed her rationally. 

"Some moms, they have milk till their 5th, 6th child Michael. And it's not even like I am too old, I am 38. Women have children after 40 these days." Sara complained, the emotional side winning over her, it was a different bond to breastfed, and healthier, and god she wanted that for her daughter. 

"Maybe it's because of the C-section ?" Michael asked, recalling reading something about that. 

"Cesarians can block the production of hormones right ? And it's a physicial shock, a heavy procedure. It impacts your hormones. Maybe in the following days, when they kick in, you'll have more milk, and we could alternate if not shift." Michael said considerately and Sara nodded. 

"Yeah." She said tightely, she was glad for his considerate words. But she didn't really have any hope for that, she knew her body, and she was still cynical Sara. 

"Besides, you just want a monopoly to feed her because you're insecure she prefers me." He quipped on an amused tone. "And she likes the formula just fine" Michael said eyeing Faith who sucked on the feeder greedily, her bottle almost finished. 

Sara smiled at last, at his statement, hearing she liked the formula was intended to make her feel better, she knew, but it did not. 

As soon as Faith finished her feeder, Michael reached for it and went to wash it while Sara held the babe against her shoulder for her to digest the milk. 

When he was back, he saw her hold the baby in her arms again, her head perfectly fit in the crook of her elbow, and watching her in admiration. 

Faith seemed in a playful mood, not sleepy at all while she looked at her mom, her tongue wiping her small lips instinctively and one of her small fist resting against Sara's silk covered breast. 

Michael almost halted in his stride, breaking into a soft laugh himself at the sheer expression of awe on Sara's face. 

He joined her, peering over their daughter.

"She's so beautiful.." Sara choked out in admiration. 

"Ofcourse she is, just like you." He flattered her gently with a fond smile.

She brought a hand to her lips, holding the babe in one arm while she shut her eyes. 

After a few seconds, Michael looked up at her face. "Are you crying ?" He asked in surprise, hormones what ?

But when she opened her eyes and removed her hand from her face there was no wetness in her eyes, bar the twinkle of love she had while she gazed at their newborn. 

"No. I just can't believe...we made her Michael." She looked up at him, in absolute awe and Michael chuckled, his heart swooning to see her in total happiness. "We have a baby girl." she stated in disbelief. 

"If all the pain you've been in wasn't enough to make you realise that you've had a baby.." Michael quiped laughing a little. He had read about that. About mothers feeling like they had not really given birth after C-section, or a delayed reaction. 

And he was glad whatever it was, this or post-partum hormones, all it did was make her happy. 

Sara allowed herself to laugh in delight, to hell with the pain. And she even bent with a grunt and kissed the soft skin between her baby's brows. Her nose filling with her sweet newborn scent. "I love you, we love you so much. And I am so lucky to have you, little angel." She said to the infant and Michael wrapped an arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple, over her own adorable baby hair. 

Sara closed her eyes as he did, in absolute joy. 

"We have two kids and a monospace, we're finally the cliché we've always dreamed for." Sara stated and Michael laughed, kissing her lips this time. 

The moment made him fall for her all over again, and find himself in awe he actually had her. 

"We are." he confirmed, yawning, but there was no dose of melatonine that would have snatched this moment from him. 

..........

When Sara woke that day, it was past 9. They had stayed up with Faith till over seven, and she had only fallen asleep right before Michael left to drop Mike. 

She saw Michael write things on a note pad, his brow creased in concentration, Faith was still asleep, in her outside clothes, in her car seat. 

"You going for groceries ?' Sara asked and Michael looked up in suprise. 

"Yes." He anwsered and put the note pas down. "If you're awake, let me change your bandages first." He decided, grabbing the roll of gauze and antiseptic from the bathroom cabinet. 

He sat next to her on the bed, and she peeled up her shirt for him, groaning and closing her eyes as he worked. 

"Still in pain?" He asked eyeing her face. 

"Yeah...but it's much better." She anwsered truthfully, for, she didn't feel like her whole belly was on fire now, it was just a low painful ache, and ofcourse, awful to touch and mouvement but she could take that, it wasn't like the unmanageable pain she had experienced these two first days. 

"I could come with you, for groceries." She offered. "Help you, you look exhausted." Michael rolled his eyes. 

"Hell no, the doctor said bedrest, you're not strolling around a supermarket with me." Michael brushed off that idea shaking his head without looking up at her, as he rolled the new layers of gauze over her skin, her wound had began to redden, it was scarring ever so slowly, and bled much less now. 

"I could stay in the car ? Bend the seat to lay, take care of Faith for you ?" Michael give her a look that made her scratch that idea off. 

"Then let her stay home, with me, so you don't have a baby to take care of too.." Sara requested.

"She's going to need something at a point, and you will have to get up. No" He got up and grabbed his own coat from the dressing, wearing it. 

"Michael please, then pick me up before going to get Mike from soccer practice, so we can all grab an ice cream on the way. Be fun." Sara said enthousiastically and Michael laughed, he bent and kissed her lips. 

"An ice cream in this cold ? Besides, it's a parental leave we're on, not summer holidays." He said tenderly, near her ear.

She laced her hand behind his neck and pulled his face to hers for another peck.

"So what ? It doesn't mean that between all the baby spit up, dirty nappies, sleepless nights, bladder control loss, we can't have fun. We could go to have a take out dinner, all together." Sara said with a smile and Michael swore he found her adorable, he didn't believe in motherhood glow or whatever, but the happiness shining on her face right now was all he needed. 

"Sure, we can do that, like in some weeks, when you're allowed to." He replied removing her hands and getting up. 

Sara sighed. "Bedrest. Don't you dare get up." He instructed before grabbing Faith's seat and leaving.

He knew that there was no way she'd desobey orders while she was almost unconscious with pain, but as soon as she'd felt better, Sara would become the worst patient to care for.

And he wasn't wrong, when he came back, with an awake Faith, who had cried less now that her brother was her to distract her, on the way back, Mike and tons of bags of groceries. 

He found Sara downstairs, on the couch, with a blanket and a book. 

"Hey, my babies are home !" She exclaimed, she was getting utterly bored. She smiled in asoration watching Mike put Faith's car seat on their second couch next to her and stroke and like a big boy, he unbuckled her and with all the care of the world, began to remove her winter clothes. 

Michael looked at her sternly while carrying the heavy bags to the open kitchen. 

Sara chuckled at his expression. "I meant you too by my babies, Scofield." 

Michael ignored her, visibly upset, he slammed cupboards and cabinets as he settled the groceries. 

Sara shared a guilty look with Mike who shook his head. "Mom, stop.." he warned, whispering and laughing a little, he knew getting dad upset was a bad bad idea.

Michael sighed, finally picking the last item from the bag, beans of coffee and putting them in the jar on the counter. 

It's when he cleaned all the bags and scanned the place to see if he had put everything at it's place that he noticed something was quite wrong. 

Only his brain could notice this, probably, but there were crumbs of bread on the floor next to their counter chair, where Mike had breakfast, and he had decided to clean them after groceries. They were gone now. 

In fact, the whole floor was neat and clean, he rolled his eyes. 

"Sara ? First of all what are you doing here ?" he scanned the stairs. 

Sara had gotten down the stairs herself, ever so slowly, painful step after painful step. She couldn't take being in bed anymore. 

"I just wanted to be with you all, I missed Mike." she said in a small voice. 

"And what did you do in the kitchen, huh ?" Michael hit her arm lightly.

"Heyy...Mike your father is beating me." She complained rubbing her arm in pretense. 

Mike laughed, amused more than anything. 

"I just, mopped a little, I wanted to help you. Besides the doctor said I needed to make a few steps a day...and I need to lose all that baby fat." Michael shook his head again, she wasn't fat, she was perfectly how a mother should be not even a week after her second baby. 

Sure, her hips were wider, her breast were ampler, and she had her bump rolls on, but she looked absolutely divine.

He'd still feel very much aroused and desire her painfully whenever he helped her shower or change. 

"And the doctor also told you to be horizontal and rest." he pointed angrily now, hands on his hips.

"I am." She told him obviously.

"I'm serious Sara, don't dare joke with your health, if something's wrong with your blood pressure again, this could be worse, you'd prefer hospitalisation again ?" He asked her roughly. 

"At least stop scolding me in front of my children.." Sara said miserably. "I promise I won't do anything like that again, but please let me stay here, with all of you." She asked it in such a way that Michael could not refuse. 

He sighed, kissing her forehead tenderly and sitting on the arm of the couch next to her head, stroking her auburn hair. 

She observed Mike with Faith, he finally managed to unbotton and remove her arms from her coat and was cooing to her softly. He was adorable. This was probably the most heartwarming thing she had ever seen. 

A grin broke on her face and she looked at Michael with misty eyes. "I am happy right now." she stated only for him to listen as she reached for one of his hand and squeezed it.

He looked at Mike and Faith and grinned too, "me too." he anwsered and bent over her reversed head and they pressed their smiles together more than kissed, the grin wouldn't leave their lips. 

"Ew, not here, there's a baby." Mike innocently covered Faith's eyes and Michael and Sara parted and laughed. 

Sara winced, her face crisping in pain as her incision made her pay for that moment of open laughter. Maybe a few more weeks of rest were actually a good idea. 

....

Sara napped a little in the afternoon and woke to the sound of a music and voices, Mike's laughter coming from their open kitchen. 

She groaned and rose, Michael and Mike were seemingly baking something and they had some music playing in the backround, while Faith lay in her seat on the counter, amused by her brother and dad's antics as she quicked her legs and panted in excitement. 

Michael grabbed the jar of blueberries and emptied in in the batter.

"Dad! Not this much, mom will kill us!" Mike exclaimed and laughed.

They were making pancakes.

"She won't say anything to anyone, I am in charge now. And I am certainly not keeping you from anything, she and her restrictions." Michael shared a complicit look with Mike. 

"And her annoying ecological rules." Mike added.

"So this is why you want me in bed huh ?" Sara's voice interrupted them and Mike gasped putting off the music. 

"I told you it was too loud." He hissed to his dad. 

Michael shared an amused look with Sara. 

"That's the plan." he quipped.

"What are you all doing ? I thought there was no party without me." Sara asked, breathing through as she rose to sit on the couch.

"Just making pancakes." came Michael's reply.

"For dinner ?!" Sara asked perplexed.

"What happened to having fun ?" Michael teased stiring the pan where he fried the pancakes.

"Okay.." she laughed a little.

"Can I have her ?" Sara asked Mike who stroke Faith's hands.

He unbuckled his sister. "Careful Mike." Michael helped him ease her off the seat on the counter which was still a little too high for him.

He brought her to her mom dutifully. 

"Hi you, wanna play with mama ?" Sara cooed to her newborn.

"You're the prettiest girl on earth, you know that." She heard Michael's low earthy laugh..gosh, she loved his laugh.

"Do you think she'll like our pancakes ?" Mike asked. 

"Sure, but not right now, maybe she can taste some in a few months." Sara promised, she craddled her baby's head, and Faith's eyes searched hers. Sara smiled at her, she loved her so much. It was such a relief to be able to simply enjoy her newborn, god knew she was robbed of that chance by the shadow of Michael's death, the first time around. 

Little Faith wiggled her tiny hands and settled against her mother, her chocolate eyes dating to the side whenever Mike or Michael made some noise. 

"Can I eat on the couch ? Next to mom ? Please dad." Michael looked over his girls and smiled, their living room looked like a mess anyway. 

Sara being the packrat she was, had asked him to bring all sort of her stuff, books, medical reports, magazines, Faith's stuff was all over too, blankets and changing bodies and piles of nappies. 

Michael chuckled, if this was parenthood, a whole mess, destroying all the pre-existing norms of always eating at the table and cleaning up after themselves, he guessed he liked it. 

He brought mapple syrup and whatever they needed to the coffee table and sat in the angle eight next to Sara, passing a plate over to Mike and serving him. 

"You want some ?" He asked Sara. 

"Yeah, sure. Smells lovely." Sara replied. 

Faith's looked over her mom, at her dad and watched him intently. 

Michael took a bit of pancake and directed it towards Sara's lips, making her eat. 

But Faith, who thought the food was directed at her, frowned and curled her hand. 

Michael laughed at her expression, and Sara swallowed and smiled seeing Faith's face. 

"she looks so angry." Mike laughed through his own mouthful of pancake. 

Sara stroke Faith's temple, brushing the softest of coppery hair. 

"I think she looks just like mom when she's mad." Michael told Mike and Mike giggled. 

Sara rolled her eyes. "Keep teaming up against me, you two." She warned. 

"That was a compliment, she looks as adorable as you when you're angry." Michael amended. 

"Sure..stop flattering me Scofield." Sara shook her head, kissing the tiniest of baby hand. 

"I am not, doesn't mom look beautiful today Mike ?" Mike looked up from the second pancake he served himself. 

"She does." He confirmed. 

"I haven't been mad today.." Sara frowned. 

"Doesn't mean you won't be.." Mike said under his breath. 

"What ?" Sara asked looking at Mike. 

"Nothing." Michael looked at Mike sternly. 

"What are you two hiding ?" Sara demanded.

"It's all on me, I bought him the new Nike shoes he wanted." Michael admitted. 

Sara's eyes widened. "Those who cost more than a month's groceries ? Michael.." Sara began to protest. 

"I know I know, you want to repsonsabilise Mike and money is not to waste, he knows too, but I am so happy Sara, and he's been such a nice boy, I couldn't refuse." Michael stopped her protest. 

"But.." Sara started again and Michael swallowed his bite of pancake and kissed her lips to hush her. 

Faith's tiny fingers slapped his cheek away and he laughed. "Ow..that was mean." Michael caressed Faith's cheek. 

Sara chuckled pressing the baby close. "I am only her mommy, go away you two mean back-talking boys." Sara said playfully. 

"You love us mom." Mike stated factly. 

"You...little Michael Scofield, wait and see." She warned and Michael side hugged Mike. 

"Dont you dare scold him, he's the best little boy out there, don't you see how he takes care of Faith, you're a great big brother, Mike." Michael kissed his head proudly. 

"As long as I don't have to clean her diapers." He made a face. 

Sara chuckled, kissing Faith's lips and watching as she tentatively licked the sweet maple syrup taste. 

"Don't make her eat that." Michael remarked and Sara rolled her eyes. "I am the doctor," She pointed and Michael nodded. 

Watching her with their baby daughter in her arms was melting his insides, they both were absolutely adorable and beautiful, and Michael knew he was so lucky to have them both. 

"I love you." He let out and Sara's eyes locked with his loving ones. "Me too." She replied earnestly.

He leaned in and kissed her again, Sara lingering some more this time but Faith fussed, and she backed.

"What ?" Michael asked and gave tiny pecks to the babe too.

"Ew, would you all stop ?" Mike said pretending to be irritated. 

Michael grabbed Mike and kissed his temple too as he laughed and resisted. 

Sara allowed herself to laugh too but winced. 

Michael looked at her, seeing the disconfort on her face. 

"Here, give her to me.." He took Faith from her, holding her protectively against him and served her a plate of pancakes. 

"Eat and you can have your medicines," He said tenderly and Sara smiled to him lovingly.

"Thank you." She softly replied, meaning much more.

And that evening, once he had tucked Mike in bed, cleaned all the mess they made downstairs and went to tend to a crying Faith, handing her to Sara to feed, after having changed her own bandages at her request, then cleaned her feeder, her nappy and made her sleep, helped Sara pee, changed and brushed his teeth, and finally slipped in bed for a few hours of sleep, he held onto Sara's arm, she still lay horizontal, already alseep, her soft breathing the only sound in the room, he breathed her hair in and closed his eyes thinking that all this was all he ever needed. Michael Scofield was finally home, and happy. 

... 


End file.
